2) Choose one of her daily blog prompts from the list (this is March 9th, do that one if you don’t want to choose another), and write about it.

3) Tell us about it in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, in a Facebook post or a Google+ post.

Here’s mine:

I selected the March 9th prompt – Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 Record list my grandmother Caroline Bough and my mother Joyce Bough departing St. Croix and heading back to New York in April, 1933.

Growing up in New York, and hearing stories about St. Croix, was very common in my household. One such family story, was when my mother, went to St. Croix when she was 2 years old. It was a difficult time for the family, my mother was very sick with a chest cold with symptoms of bronchitis/pneumonia.

During the 1930’s; pneumonia was considered the leading cause of death. Apparently, her parents were fearful that the rattling on her chest would lead to pneumonia. As a result, my grandmother who is native to St. Croix, took her daughter back home for healing. The combination of warm weather, and I assume the local herbs, proved to be very beneficial.

When I told my mother about the passenger record, showing her and my grandmother returning to New York, after spending time in St. Croix as child; she recalled the experience through her mother’s eyes high lighted by the fact that she was thankful to God for recovery.

Even though pneumonia is still something that we have to be careful about with regards to our elderly and very young children, the deadly consequences of it is not so much of a threat as it was back in the 1930’s. So I can certainly understand why your grandmother took the necessary precautions to see that your mom got away from NY and went to where better health and healing was possible during those times.

You know there’s something to be said about local herbs and their healing power. I find that the older I get, I prefer natural products and local herbs for health and healing than any over the counter medicine any day! Excellent story and I am thankful to God for her recovery as well!

Liv,
I too prefer natural products. One of the benefits are basically no side affects. By the mid 70’s my mother and I relocated to the Virgin Islands from New York where the warm weather and herbs are 24/7. Thank you for your warm words and well wishes.

That’s an interesting story from a document. When I was 6 I had pneumonia. I was in bed so long the downstairs of the house looked new and interesting when I finally recovered. I wish I had been able to go St. Croix for sun and herbs and health before it took a hold. Both my grandmother’s were in Detroit though so no such luck. I am thankful I recovered, even without the tropical trip.